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Monday, April 19, 2010

Doula Musings

I've noticed that Prenatal meetings with first-time moms go very differently than with experienced moms. First-timers listen intently, like a student, absorbing everything I talk about and waiting for more. They ask questions but the meetings are very much led by me. Previous birth-ers talk a lot about what they know, what they've experienced, what they're hoping for next time. Its a lot less teaching, but I still want to be sure they have even better information/support than they had before!

I went to a Bradley class with one of my mamas! Bradley is one type of childbirth education workshop options. It is referred to as "husband-coached childbirth" and is a lot about getting the dad involved as the birth partner. I was perusing the workbook and apparently Bradley method is very big on drinking a lot of orange juice? For both mom and coach? I asked my client about it and she shrugged and said its something about getting fluids + vitamin C. Interesting.

I really enjoyed attending the childbirth class. I got to be referred to as "the doula" in front of a group of people, including by the workshop leader, which was extremely exciting for me. I learned what was being taught to my client, and compared it to what I knew. I learned some possible techniques for turning a mal-positioned baby in addition to some I already knew. Here is a list:

1. Positive thinking and visualization.
2. Walking around/squatting/swimming in a pool.
3. Breech tilt - lay on back and prop legs up to lift hips higher than head
4. Put music in your pocket so baby wants to turn towards the sound
5. Place cold on top of your tummy and warm beneath your bottom (heating pad or shallow bath water). Baby will want to turn towards the warmth.
6. Child's pose with your hips higher than your head can also lift baby out of pelvis.

We also did a review of what the stages of labor would be like for mom and labor coach. Plus 30 minutes of labor rehearsal, with 1 min long contractions every two minutes walking, sitting, laying down. It was great for getting comfortable with one another.

The workshop leader was big on her phrase "Shake Your Booty" as a solution for everything - mal-positioned baby? Put on some music and shake your booty. Labor stalling? Shake your booty. Haha. It was pretty cute.

My first mom (home birth) texted me yesterday letting me know that she's been contracting a lot the past few days and she thought she was in labor a couple times now already and been wrong. So I'm still waiting with bated breath...